Ghostwriting – what is it and what are the pros and cons?

A ghostwriter is often a popular choice among politicians, celebrities or people in senior positions who may be required to produce pieces of text but may not have the time or skill to do so.

A good ghostwriter will have to do plenty of research to communicate the message their client wants and are crucial in the publication process. They are particularly helpful if a client has limited time to do their own writing or if they want to release more pieces of text at a faster rate.

As with all types of writing, ghostwriting has good and bad points and here at Champions Publishing, we have created our list of pros and cons on the service.

Pros

Will be written to a professional standard

By using a ghostwriter to create content, one thing you can guarantee is that the writing will be done to a professional standard. Grammar, spelling and writing style are all important factors that need to be considered with any piece of writing and a ghostwriter is able to do this confidently.

Saves time

Why waste time trying to get something right when a ghostwriter is able to do it quickly and effectively? Ghostwriters write for a living so they are inevitably able to get through a vast amount of work faster than someone who doesn’t write for a living. Therefore, if a piece of work is required for an imminent deadline, it always makes more sense for a ghostwriter to take it on.

Can cover any subject

Ghostwriters often cover a wide range of different subjects in their writing meaning they are able to lend their hand to all topics and writing styles. This is one of the big pluses of using a ghostwriter as they can easily shift from topic to topic and still produce a high standard of work.

Cons

Nobody knows a client’s story better than the client

Irrespective of how close a client’s relationship is with the ghostwriter, no one is able to perfectly replicate exactly what the client wants to achieve from a piece of work. This is particularly true when it comes to autobiographies. Even by sitting with someone for hours and reliving experiences for an autobiography, the end result still won’t be the same.

This is partly why a lot of autobiographies combine ghostwriting with writing from the main subject. This way they get the best of both worlds with the client able to give a unique insight into their own experiences, and the ghostwriter can tie it all together with their writing expertise.

May not be seen as an expert if someone is writing for you

Despite the clear benefits of getting a ghostwriter to do work, some people will be concerned that they will not be seen as an expert in their field if they need someone to write for them. Even though it is common practice to hire a ghostwriter, it won’t stop some people from looking down their noses at people who need this writing support and can occasionally create a negative perception. Whilst being anonymous is part of the occupation for a ghostwriter, if the identity is revealed for whatever reason, it can further harm the credibility of the person who has hired the writer.

3 months ago

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